Before & After Gallery

Growing up I was always athletic, I played traveling sports throughout my youth and I enjoyed working out at the gym. However, I always dealt with a weight problem. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been trying to lose weight. I tried every new diet, workout program or detox imaginable. I never believed surgery was an option for me. I always thought I could do it myself, but as the weight piled on, my weight loss goals drifted further away.

At 33 years old, my primary care doctor put me on daily blood pressure and blood sugar medications. These medications were in addition to the daily anxiety medication I was already taking. I continued to work out and tried my best to follow a nutrition plan but a knee injury would always ruin my progress. I became discouraged as I experienced many setbacks. I couldn’t afford to wait around for this weight to come off itself. My OBGYN even advised against trying to conceive, something my husband and I wanted, because my weight and medical conditions would make me extremely high risk. In June 2019, he recommended bariatric surgery.

In June 2020, after sitting home for nearly 3 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I re-injured my knee again at home. Fed up, I decided to contact a coworker’s bariatric surgeon’s office for some information. After speaking with the most friendly employee, Jessica, who told me about her own bariatric experience at Garden State Bariatrics, she truly opened my mind to surgery. I decided to take the plunge and made a consultation appointment.

At the end of June 2020, I had my consultation with Dr. Bilof where he explained everything I needed to know about surgery. He also recommended I consider the Duodenal Switch as I was a good candidate for that procedure. After the appointment, I was excited to say that I was going to have bariatric surgery! It was a busy summer, checking off all of the pre-op testing in time for a fall surgery. Time flew by and it all felt so right. Finally this was something that would aid in my weight loss journey. Then I got my surgery date, October 7th, 2020!

Fast forward to now, 11 months post op, I am down over 175 pounds and over 80 inches lost. I’ve been off of blood sugar, blood pressure and anxiety medications for 11 months and my numbers are fantastic! I work out 5 days a week and with all my weight loss my knee injury is nearly nonexistent! Deciding to have surgery was not an easy one for me, but it was the best decision I’ve ever made. This has totally changed my outlook on life for the better and I am happy to say, I am finally living life! My positive results motivated my husband to pursue weight loss surgery and he is happily and successfully 3 months post op, Duodenal Switch.

I cannot begin to express how thankful I am for the Toms River staff at GSBWC. Your support and guidance is so appreciated! Thank you Dr. Bilof, Michael, Julie, Anna, Brandy and Jessica for all that you do. You have made an everlasting impression on me that I am forever grateful for!